


Teamwork

by ruric



Category: Numb3rs (TV)
Genre: Community: comment_fic, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-20
Updated: 2010-10-20
Packaged: 2021-02-28 01:53:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 622
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22535800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ruric/pseuds/ruric
Summary: Written for enigel's 2010 prompt Numb3rs, Colby/Don, team
Kudos: 4
Collections: Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2010





	Teamwork

**Author's Note:**

> Written for enigel's 2010 prompt Numb3rs, Colby/Don, team

Colby had known what it was to be part of a team, to be surrounded by guys you live, breathe, sweat, play and sleep with, guys who have your back no matter what the situation is. He never thought he'd find that outside the army but he had at the FBI with Don, David, Megan and Liz. But he'd been approached by counterintelligence to go undercover and even though he knew they were playing him – balancing the excitement of the assignment with his patriotism for his country – he knew he was going to say yes.

"You reap what you sow" is a platitude his gran used to quote often to Colby and his cousins and though the team came through for him, pulled him off the ship, he wonders whether they can survive what he's done to them.

Sitting in a hospital bed gives you nothing if not time to think and they'd kept in for a couple of days just to make sure he's clean and clear. Megan had visited and Colby's pretty sure she'll forgive him in time but he doubts the same is true of David - David who's presence has been noticeably absent - and if there was a way he could make that right, now, then he would. But David's straight and true and he doesn’t lie and if there's ever going to be forgiveness from that quarter then Colby's beginning to realise he's going to have to work damned hard for it. Or maybe he should just take the job in DC.

"Still with us?"

Colby looks up and Don's leaning against the door frame watching him. It was Don who'd insisted he stay in the hospital for 48 hours, Don who'd refused to let him come home alone and insisted on collecting him and bringing him back. Don who's question packs a loaded punch.

"Yeah look ....I want..."

"Hold that thought." Don disappears into Colby's kitchen only to emerge with a couple of longnecks and passes one to Colby. "Confession might be good for the soul but a little lubrication eases the way."

Colby takes a long pull and the beer tastes wonderful. Funny how staring death in the eye can make you re-evaluate everything you've been taking for granted.

"Look, I'm sorry, I just...." he shrugs and rolls his shoulders because he's never been good at this kind of shit. "It seemed like it was the right thing to do, you know?"

Don ducks his head, doesn't meet Colby's gaze but takes a healthy swallow of his own beer, then cuts him a glance that's far too knowing. "Nothing to do with excitement and adrenalin and pushing the boundaries then?"

"Hell no...yeah. I don't know. But I didn't think it'd pull the team apart his badly, pull us apart."

"Give them time. They'll come around."

Don's waiting and the hell of it is Colby doesn't know what to say to fix this. "And what about you?"

"Me?" Don settles on the couch next to Colby and rests his feet on the coffee table. "Same thing goes for me as for them. We're a team. Don't lie to us because if we can't trust each other what the hell's the point?"

"So we're not completely FUBAR'd then?

"Not completely no," and Don's grin has a few too many teeth in it. "But you're gonna have to work to fix it."

Colby thinks it's enough to know there's a hope he can fix what he fucked up even if he fucked it all up for good reasons. Or reasons that seemed good at the time. That hope, and the fact that Don's still here, radiating warmth where he's leaning just a little bit into Colby, is enough.


End file.
